Leg structure for collapsible tables



Feb. 11, 1958 w. HERRSCHAFT 2,823,088

LEG STRUCTURE FOR COLLAPSIBLE TABLES Filed April 26, 1955 lnvenfor:

William Herrscl'lafi' United States Pat LEG STRUCTURE FOR COLLAPSIBLE TABLES William Herrschaft, New York, N. Y. Application April 26, 1955, Serial No. 503,885 3 Claims. Cl. 311-109 This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in collapsible tables, stands,

and the like, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a table or a stand which may be quickly and easily folded so as to occupy a small amount of, space when stored or carried, but which may be erected with equal expedience into a rigid, stable form.

An important feature of this invention resides in providing the table or stand with a novel leg structure utilizing a plurality of substantially V-shaped legs, each having a substantially vertical outer portion and a diagonal inner portion with the inner, diagonal portions of the legs being crossed, while another important feature of the invention lies in the provision of novel means for collapsibly connecting the leg portions together.

With respect to the leg connecting means, attention is also directed to my co-pending. application Serial No. 330,981, filed January 13, 1953, now Patent No. 2,749,147, of which this application is a continuation-in-part.

With the foregoing more important objects and features in view and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention resides in the details of construction and arrangement of parts substantially as shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein like characters of reference are used to designate like parts and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the invention, shown partly in section to reveal the attachment of the table top to the leg structure;

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 2-2 in Figure 1 and illustrating the table top for reference purposes by dotted lines;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of the legs, another leg being shown fragmentarily by dotted lines to reveal its relationship to the leg shown by full lines;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional detail on an enlarged scale, taken substantially in the plane of the line 44 in Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevational view showing a modified form of the leg connecting means; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a modified form of meansfor attaching the legs to the table top.

With reference now to the accompanying drawing in detail, the collapsible table, stand, or the like, is desig nated generally by the numeral 10 and, broadly, comprises a leg structure 11 carrying a suitable top 12.

The leg structure 11 consists of a plurality of substantially V-shaped legs 13 each having a substantially vertical outer portion 13a and a diagonal inner portion 13b extending inwardly and upwardly from the lower end of the outer portion, as shown.

The diagonal inner portions 13b of the legs 13 are crossed and coupling means designated generally by the numeral 14 are used for connecting the portions 13b together at their point of crossing. These coupling means will be hereinafter more fully described.

The outer portion 13a of eac leg is provided at its stantially aligned with the diagonal inner portion 13b of 5 an opposite leg, the hooks 15 of the outer portions 131:

may be supportably engaged with the upper regions or portions of the respective diagonal portions 13b of the opposite legs, as will be clearly apparent.

The aforementioned coupling means 14 preferably comprise a substantially tubular, resiliently yieldable member in the form of a coil spring 16 which frictionally encircles the leg portions-13b at their point of crossing and urges the same together in a radially inward direction. However, when the-legs are spread apart against the action of the spring '16 and the hooks -15 are engaged with the leg portions 13b, the hooks will effectively sustain the legs in the spread apart position and, as a result, the entire leg structure will be rigid and stable. When so desired, the leg structure may-be folded by simply disengaging the hooks 15 from the leg portions 1312.

To prevent the spring 16 from excessive radially out- Ward deflection when the legs are spread apart, a substantially tubular reinforcing sleeve 17 is frictionally mounted on the spring and projects at both ends beyond the ends of the latter. The ends of this sleeve are engageable by the leg portions 13b and thus afford stop means for limiting the extent to which the leg portions 13b may be spread apart.

As shown in Figure 4, the sleeve 17 may simply consist of a short length of tubing. Alternatively, it may be formed from relatively stiff wire wound into a helical form, as shown at 17a in Figure 5. In both instances, the end portions of the spring 16 are angulated to provide a pair of hook-shaped detents 18 which engage the upper and lower end portions of the sleeve and prevent axial displacement of the latter relative to the spring. Moreover, when the sleeve 17a is employed, the detents 18 are disposed in seats 19 constituted by the ends of the helix and thus, the spring 16 .is prevented from rotating in the sleeve.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the leg structure 11 is capable of sustaining its erected, stable form, regardless of the presence or absence of the top 12. Moreover, it can do so either in the upright or an inverted position, in the latter instance the free ends of the diagonal leg portions 13b functioning as feet. As such, the same may be provided with suitable foot elements 20 so that the ends of the leg portions 13b do not scratch or otherwise damage the surface on which they are placed.

When the leg structure is used in conjunction with the top 12, the top is preferably provided in its corners with recesses or notches 21 to receive the leg portions 13b as shown in Figure l. The elements 20 then engage the upper surface of the top 12 while the books 15 underlie the top, as illustrated.

In a somewhat modified arrangement of the top attaching means shown in Figure 6, the upper ends of the leg portions 13a are angulated as shown at 22 and are suitably secured to corner plates 23 wherein the corner portions of the top are seated. In this arrangement the leg structure is also somewhat modified, since the hooks 15 cannot be provided on the outer legportions 13a. Thus, the hooks 15 are provided at the upper ends of the diagonal inner portions 13b and supportably engage the -Pat'ente d .Feb. 11 1958- and various modifications maybe resorted to, such as References Cited in the file of this patent may/11112381211121} 511:1 szpsugl inicgzscope of the appended claims. UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 In a collapsible table and the like, the combination 5 757 Hart Feb, 16, 1875 of-a plurality of substantially V-shapeddegs-eachhaving 5 4 2 Morrison F l 1Q, 1880 a substantially vertical outer portion and a-diagonalinner 361,279 Forseu 10, 1337 portion extending from the lower endof said outer per 5 9 0 Vodtzkow N 21 1893 tion, the diagonal inner portions of said'legs beingcrossed 55 25 Deane Nov 25 1895 and having free upper ends, resiliently yieldable means 57 5 Urbanus 9 1397 connectingsaid diagonal inner portions at their point of 10 533,013 Ebert May 13 1397 crossing whereby the same are urged radially inwardly, 641,710 L l Ja 23 1900 and means connecting the upper endof-theouter-portion 960,314 Gunman J 7 1910 of each leg to the upper end of the inner'portion-of an- 1,678,392 h et 1 J ly 24, 1923 other leg, whereby to sustain the innerportions of the 1 3 5 35 s h i -7 Nov. 1, 1932 legs against inwardradial movement. 2,139,673 Draper Dec. 13 193 2. The structure asset forth in claim 1 wherein said 2,366,560 Russell Ja 2 1945 last mentioned means comprise hooks provided at the 2,591,797 Exline et 1 Apr 8 952 upper ends of said outer portions of the'legs and re- 2,635,023, Frye APR 14 1953 leasably engaging t inner portions. 2,710,733 Phillips June 14, 1955 3. The structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said last mentioned means comprise hooks provided at the FQREIGN A N S upper ends of said inner portions of the legs and releasably engaging the outer portions. 7 393,988 France Sept.- 5, 1908 

